December 7, 2021
Dear Pioneer Community,
It is very unfortunate that for the third night I have to inform you of another comment posted to social media that is sending thoughts of concern and frustration throughout our community.
Tonight, we were made aware of a random comment on social media mentioning Dearborn High and threatening violence toward the school and staff. At this time we have no reason to believe this comment, like so many other comments being made on social media over the past week, is a real threat to the safety of our school. However, we must, and we do, take these comments seriously. Dearborn Police are working to identify the source of the comment. Their expert team of detectives and cyber security experts have had great success in identifying the source and individuals responsible for making these types of comments. We are confident they will be able to do the same in regards to this latest comment.
Dearborn High will be open on Wednesday, December 8th. Once again, out of an abundance of caution, we will have several resources at our disposal to ensure a safe and productive school day. School Resource Officers, plain clothes officers, additional district staff, and other resources from the Dearborn Police will be at Dearborn High on Wednesday. Their presence is meant to bring an added sense of security to our students and staff.
We are now a week past the tragedy in Oxford and instead of moving to a point of healing we continue to live each day filled with anxiety. These emotions are fueled by the comments of those whose only goal is to use their words to create chaos and unrest in our community. And we are not alone. Throughout Metro-Detroit dozens of teens have been arrested for making these types of inflammatory comments and now will be prosecuted. Those who have sought to disrupt our community with false messages, rumors, and insightful words will not only face legal action from the justice system but, if found to be students of the Dearborn Public Schools, will face the full force of our disciplinary actions up to and including permanent expulsion from the district.
None of us want our children to be filled with anxiety or fear when coming to school. Please help us in our ongoing efforts to create a safe school environment by talking with your children and reminding them of the dangers and serious consequences they may face if they decide to post comments on social media that insight fear or disrupt the operation of our school.
One point of advice that is shared with individuals working to heal from a traumatic situation is to try and work each day to return to those daily routines that provide us with a sense of normalcy. The results of living the past two years with COVID has shown that returning to a sense of normal will always take much work and effort. For all of us as a community to find our “normal” after almost 2 years of COVID and now the tragic events of Oxford will take time, dedication, and the efforts of all of us. Please join me and the dedicated staff of professionals at Dearborn High as we work to calm our community and provide our students with the very best, and safe, learning environment.
Thank you,
Zeina Jebril
Principal
Dearborn High School